#amara001

@amarabloom

Valentines day was a fools errand. 

It was a con, peddled by those who would have people believe that love was the only thing a person could hope for from life. Those who engaged in Valentines day surely had no defining purpose in life, focused solely on the pleasure of the body. There was no romantic love in her life, not any more. Any feelings she had were buried deep within, so far down that she could pretend they didn’t exist at all. She had Rodolphus to thank for that - he had seen that love was becoming a weakness, and he had taken that away from her with his marriage proposals. It was one of the kindest things he could have ever done for her, and that understanding - the private words they had shared after his proposal - that meant more to her than love ever could. He had understood her need, the desire to advance through the ranks, and understood that a woman defined by love had no place at the head of a war. He had taken away that scenario, and it was for that reason that she had settled into married life easily with a husband that did not love her. 

Valentines day was simply the worst day in the calendar, there was no doubt about that. If Bellatrix had any idea what was going on in Diagon Alley, she would have steered far clear away. As it was, Bellatrix had been making a conscious effort not to read the prophet and she had essentially shot herself in the foot. If not for the effort she had made in travelling here, Bellatrix would already have turned around and apparated back to the manor to enjoy a day of peace. As it were, she had already suffered through the bus journey to get here, and she’d be damned if she left the alley without the potions ingredients she needed.

Pushing her way through the crowds, Bellatrix felt more eyes on her than usual. She looked rather out of place with a scowl on her face amongst happy revellers, never mind that her black dress seemed to stick out amongst the pinks and reds. Holding her head high, Bellatrix kept the look of general displeasure on her face so that people might not try and peddle their wares to her. She’d almost made it to Mrs Mulpeppers when Dystyl had jumped in front of her offering heart bones. He was thrusting a goblin heart rather bravely into her face as Bellatrix began to reach for her wand when she spotted a familiar figure out of the corner of her eye and sidestepped away from Dystyl. 

Falling into step with Amara, Bellatrix shot her acquaintance a quick glance. “I should’ve known you’d be here. Is Charles around somewhere? I’d suggest that you keep him away from Dystyl, lest you end up taking a goblin heart home...he’s terribly enthusiastic.”